


in eyes not yet created

by sickoflosiingsoulmates



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-06
Updated: 2016-10-06
Packaged: 2018-08-19 23:11:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,513
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8227985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sickoflosiingsoulmates/pseuds/sickoflosiingsoulmates
Summary: Annabeth meets Piper at a coffee shop, and she writes.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first fic I've ever posted to AO3 and I'm nervous but also glad to share this and my love of Pipabeth. I always accept constructive criticism, but don't be rude about it. Title from Poet by Bastille (also the song that inspired this story).

The doorbell chimes as Annabeth pushes the door to the small coffee shop open. She closes her eyes and breathes in, spending a few blissful seconds in the warmth and comfort of the cafe. Adjusting her bag on her shoulder, she cracks her eyes open again. Her legs carry her towards the front off the quaint shop, her eyes traveling over the pastry displays.

  
“Welcome to Alesia’s Cafe, what can I get you?” The girl at the counter says in a chirpy tone that Annabeth’s only ever heard in customer service. She drags her eyes away from the rows of croissants and muffins, and is met by the gaze of the gorgeous girl at the counter. Annabeth has to blink a couple of times to make sure she isn’t imagining things.

  
The girl’s name tag reads ‘Piper,’ though it is partially covered by her long pigtail braids. Her hair is a warm brown color, matching her eyes, which are only a few shades darker. She has a smile on her face, and it shows off perfect white teeth, which stand out wonderfully against her tan skin.

  
Annabeth clears her throat, hoping she didn’t spend too much time staring at Piper. She glances up at the menu even though she already know what she’s getting. “I’ll have a grande coffee with cinnamon,” she tells Piper, who writes it on a slip of paper.

  
“Is that all?” She asks, twirling the pen between her fingers. Annabeth glances at the pastries once more, but nods her head. “Alright, can I get your name?” Piper adds, turning to give the slip of paper with Annabeth’s order to the man working the machines.

  
“Annabeth,” she says, flashing a quick smile. Piper tells her what her total is as Annabeth fishes around her bag for ten dollars. When she finds a bill, she hands it off to Piper. Their fingers brush. Annabeth’s are cold from being outside, and Piper’s are warm from handling coffee. Annabeth gulps and quickly drops the money into Piper’s hands.

  
When she gets her change, she steps off to the side to wait for her coffee. Annabeth shifts her bag on her shoulder, relishing in the warmth of the small shop. Taking a deep breath, she observes the cafe.

  
The aren’t many people, which is to be expected on a Tuesday, mid morning. There is a mother with her daughter, and a few people on what look to be business meetings, but it still leaves the shop mostly empty. Annabeth is glad for that, as it means it will be easier for her to concentrate on her writing.

  
However, since she isn’t currently writing, the silence gives her time to... think. Specifically, to think about Piper, the gorgeous barista. Annabeth hasn’t had a legitimate crush since the tenth grade, when she was very attracted to her best friend, Percy. That turned out to be nothing, seeing as Percy is aromatic and asexual, and Annabeth realized that she didn’t want to ruin her friendship with Percy by dating him. But this infatuation with Piper seems like it might turn into a crush, and that worries Annabeth.

  
“Annabeth?” She hears her name being called out, which effectively pulls her out of her thoughts. She shakes her head, stepping up to the counter once again.

  
Piper is holding a cup, Annabeth’s name scrawled elegantly messy across it. Annabeth smiles politely up at Piper, taking the cup from her hand. “Thanks,” Annabeth murmurs quietly, not wanting to disrupt the peaceful buzz of the cafe.  
“Have a nice day!” Piper calls after her. Annabeth smiles into her first sip of coffee.

  
Once she leaves the counter, she heads for her favorite spot, a small booth tucked away in the corner of the cafe. It's sat next to the large front windows, but the windows are too frosted over currently to see out of. Annabeth sets down her coffee so she can shrug out of her dark purple coat and get her laptop out. Her fingers have been itching to write since she stepped into the coffee shop, but as the cursor hovers over the document containing her current story, she realizes that that isn’t what she wants to write, which startles her. She isn’t the type of person to have multiple unfinished stories, and the fact that she wants to start a new draft now, when she’s in the middle of writing one of her favorite stories yet, is a bit strange.

  
She clicks on ‘new document,’ and hovers her fingers over the keyboard. Almost immediately, she starts typing, a story forming itself on the screen. A few pages in, however, she realizes that her main character is none other than Piper, the cute barista. In the story, she goes by a different name, but Annabeth realizes she’s described the character’s appearance exactly the same as Piper’s.

  
She quickly exits out of the document once she realizes this fact, knowing how creepy it is writing about a girl Annabeth’s never had a real conversation with. Quickly, Annabeth opens her original document, and only gets a paragraph written before leaving the shop.

  
Over the next few weeks, Annabeth visits the coffee shop more times than is probably strictly necessary, and she can’t say it’s purely for working reasons. She has a few more encounters with Piper, but nothing more than ordering coffee.  
She does, however, continue her story with Piper as the protagonist. No matter how hard she tries to fight it, she just can’t get Piper out of her head. The only way to begin to try, it seems, is through (poorly spelled) words on a screen.

  
It’s a few days later, and her and Percy’s schedules have lined up well, so they sit on the couch of their shared apartment, watching some action movie that Annabeth’s barely paying attention to. Percy must seem to notice this, so he throws a handful of popcorn at her head.  
She whips her head to the side, working a stray kernel out of her hair. “What the hell, Percy?” She asks with insincere anger. Percy trains his eyes on Annabeth before grabbing for the remote and turning the volume down on the movie.

  
“You seem sidetracked. What’s up?” Percy seems genuinely concerned, but that doesn’t make Annabeth feel better. She flops back on the bed, a sigh escaping her lips. Percy is still staring at her strangely, and Annabeth almost doesn’t want to tell him, seeing as the reason is incredibly ridiculous.

  
“It’s stupid, Perce,” she sighs, adjusting herself so she can see Percy better. He looks at her curiously.

  
“Is it a boy? A girl?” Percy guesses with unsurprising accuracy. For as long as Annabeth has known him, Percy has been exceptionally good at reading people. It’s why, Annabeth thinks, they are such great friends. However, hearing Percy saying it out loud makes her feel even more ridiculous. She groans and sits up.

  
“There's this barista at the coffee shop I always go to. She’s like a goddess, Percy.” Even just thinking about about Piper gives Annabeth a strange feeling in her stomach.

  
Percy just shrugs. “That’s not too bad though, is it?” He asks, and Annabeth narrows her eyes at him. “There’s more, isn’t there?” She nods.

  
“The first day I saw her,” Annabeth confesses, “I started... writing. About her,” Percy winces a bit, and she knows he’s thinking about when Annabeth first got a crush on Percy, and did almost the exact same thing. While most people deal with their crushes by actually acting upon them, Annabeth writes about them. Like a stalker.

  
Percy bites his lip, deep in thought. “Have you had any encounters with her? Besides, you know, ordering coffee?” When Annabeth shakes her head, Percy smirks. “Start there. Get to know her. No harm in becoming her friend, right?”

  
Annabeth smiles. She doesn’t understand how he always has a solution to her social problems, but she’s learned not to question it. “Thanks, Percy,” she says sincerely as she reaches for the bowl of popcorn, because he still started a fight, and she is going to make him regret it. He doesn’t get another word out as she dumps the bowl over his head.

  
They say the third time’s the charm, although that doesn’t seem to be quite true for Annabeth. Four trips to Alesia’s Cafe come and go, and she still hasn’t worked up the nerve to have a friendly conversation with Piper.

  
On the fifth trip to the coffee shop after her and Percy’s conversation, Annabeth braves the cafe once again with the intention to begin a conversation with Piper. She’s standing at the counter, her hair in one long braid. Annabeth bites her lip and makes her way to the front of the shop.

  
When Piper sees Annabeth, she puts on a smile, and asks, “Your usual?” Annabeth nods, and Piper turns to put in her order. Annabeth isn’t one to get nervous, but she’s starting to feel butterflies as she stares at the back of Piper’s head.

  
She turns around, back to facing Annabeth, and she takes a breath. “So, um, how’s your day going?” Annabeth asks, mentally kicking herself for choosing the most boring conversation starter in the history of the world. Piper looks a bit taken back at first, and it’s obvious that she wasn’t expecting the question. Or any question.

  
“Do you want the real answer, or the answer my boss approves of?” Piper jokes, a new brand of smile painting her face. It feels less like a practiced customer service smile and like more of a genuine smile. Annabeth immediately likes it better.

  
“Whichever won’t get you fired,” Annabeth teases back. Piper’s smile brightens, and Annabeth’s does with it.

  
“Well, then my day is going wonderfully,” Piper says casually. She does a quick look around the cafe, and leans in a bit closer, as if she’s about to tell Annabeth some great big secret. Annabeth gulps, trying not to glance at Piper’s lips too obviously. “But if I hear one more person complain about slow service when they think I’m not listening-”

  
Piper is cut off by Annabeth’s drink being set down on the counter between them. Annabeth blinks once, momentarily disoriented as Piper hands over her drink.

  
Annabeth pays for her coffee, and flashes another grin at Piper. “Thanks, Piper,” Annabeth says offhandedly. Piper looks confused for a moment. Annabeth reciprocates her confusion, until she realizes that Piper never actually told Annabeth her name. Now, Annabeth looks creepy. Great.

  
“Your name tag,” Annabeth says quickly, and Piper’s face clears. “Thanks again.”  
As Annabeth turns to go find her table, she hears Piper say, “Anytime, Annabeth.” Annabeth smiles as she walks off.

  
When she reaches her table and takes out her laptop, she only hesitates for a moment before opening her document about Piper. She’s gotten a quarter way through her short story, and it’s done nothing but amplify her crush on Piper. But today, she doesn’t write anything new.

  
Annabeth doesn’t know why, but she just… can’t write. She’s not sure why. It might be because she had an actual conversation with Piper, but she honestly has no idea. She keeps the document open for a few more minutes, but with no success. When Annabeth realizes she’s not going to have any luck writing today, she closes her laptop and leaves the shop.

  
Piper and Annabeth keep up the small talk for a while, and Annabeth thinks that they are starting to become friends. Annabeth hopes they are.

  
Now whenever Annabeth comes into the cafe, she and Piper talk while Annabeth waits for her coffee. Most of the time, Annabeth comes when the shop isn’t too busy, so no one really cares if Annabeth stays at the counter a minute or two after receiving her coffee. Least of all Piper.

  
During this time, Annabeth works on her story more and more. She manages to get over her block, but she still doesn’t know why she couldn’t write that one day. Annabeth has known since starting this that she wasn’t going send it to get published, seeing as it would be way too easy for Piper to get her hands on it and realize it’s about her.

  
Either way, Annabeth knows she’s close to her end goal of the the story, and the thought leaves an uneasy feeling in her stomach. She’s been writing this story since the day she first time she saw Piper, and it’s been a big part of her seemingly endless crush on her. Annabeth is not sure if she wants to have that end.

  
Annabeth strolls into the shop on a warm day, a small smile on her face. It’s the first day the weather has been warm enough for her to wear short sleeves, and she’s taken advantage of that by wearing her cutest top, a midnight blue v-neck with white polka dots.

  
Piper flashes a smile when she sees Annabeth. There’s one person ordering coffee from Piper currently, so Annabeth stands behind them, tapping her converse lightly against the tiles.  
The customer is just finishing up their order, so in no time at all, Annabeth is at the counter across from Piper.

  
“Hey, you,” Piper greets with a grin still on her face, turning to put in Annabeth's order. Every time Annabeth has been at the shop, she has gotten the same thing. Honestly, Annabeth would be more surprised if Piper hadn’t memorized her order by now. “What’s new?”

  
Annabeth shrugs, fixing her gaze on Piper’s copper-colored eyes. “Not much, really. My editor’s getting impatient, saying she can’t do her job if she doesn’t have anything to edit.” Annabeth huffs in annoyance, and Piper laughs softly.

  
The laughter turns quickly to curiosity. “Then what have you been working on?” She inquiries, one brow raising. Annabeth flushes.

  
“Well, uh, I’ve been working on a project for myself,” she clarifies, trying to keep her answer as vague as possible. She doesn’t want Piper finding out about her story, mainly since she’s the main character.

  
Piper’s eyebrow stays raised for a few more seconds, but she lets the topic slide. At some point in the conversation, both Annabeth’s and the previous customer’s coffee had arrived. While she’s handing over Annabeth’s coffee, Piper says, “Hey, I get off early today. Would you want to grab lunch after my shift?”

  
If Annabeth had taken a sip of her coffee, she knows for sure she would have choked on it. Because Piper just asked her out on a date. Or is it a date? It could very possibly just be a friendly outing, something they hadn’t done in the few weeks since her and Piper had started talking.

  
Suddenly worried, Annabeth follows up with, “Oh. Like, a date?” Annabeth feels her eyebrows knit together, and she has to force herself to keep her expression neutral.

  
“Yes, like a date. Unless you’re not interested?” Piper answers, leaning a tiny bit closer on the narrow counter. Annabeth has to take a deep breath to keep herself from leaning down and kissing Piper right then.

  
“Yeah, I am. Interested,” Annabeth replies. Piper’s small smile breaks into a grin as she reaches for Annabeth’s coffee cup. She grabs a Sharpie that sits on the table, and begins scrawling something on the cup.

  
Piper hands the cup back to Annabeth. “My number, so we can figure out a place to meet,” Piper explains, though Annabeth could have guessed that on her own.

  
“See you then, “ Annabeth says brightly, turning to leave the shop.

  
“Yeah,” Piper echoes to her back.

  
Annabeth gets to the apartment she shares with Percy, coffee half drunk in her hand. Percy’s not home, as he’s still in his last year of college, but there’s a pile of his stuff on the table. Annabeth groans, not even bothering to tidy up the stack of papers, magazines. and textbooks that litter it. Instead, she turns to go to her room.

  
She hasn’t changed much about the room since moving in a year ago. The walls are the same soft lavender color, and the bed and dressers haven’t changed (though she desperately needs a new nightstand; at this point, she’s surprised it’s still standing). The one thing that is Annabeth’s own addition is the bookshelf.

  
It’s white, and the top of it nearly reaches the ceiling of her room. There’s not even room on it anymore, a fact made evident by the small stack of paperbacks right next to the shelf. Annabeth has any kind of book anyone can imagine, from dusty classics to epic fantasies to adorable romances. She hasn’t read every book on her shelf, as her dyslexia makes it difficult, but she’s still trying. And there, right in the center, is her very own book.

  
She first published it when she was in her last year of college, and for the most part, it’s been a success. It’s not super popular, but Annabeth’s fine with that. She’s more than happy to have a published copy of her book, sitting right there in her room (and, she knows for a fact, the rooms of basically every person she knows).

  
Annabeth shakes her head, clearing the giddiness about her books from her mind, and instead replacing it with giddiness for her date. With Piper. Annabeth grins as she turns towards her closet.

  
She hasn’t been on a proper date since a not-so-successful dinner in college, and she doesn't quite know what to wear.

  
They’re just going out to lunch. It can’t be too formal, right? So, Annabeth selects a gray top and dark skirt and tosses it on her bed. But when she tries it on, it doesn’t feel quite... right.  
She picks out another few outfits before deciding on her favorite: a black button up with the sleeves pushed back just a bit, and a pair of dark blue jeans. By now, she’s texted Piper, and they’ve decided to meet up at a small sandwich shop Annabeth’s heard of but never been to, so Annabeth knows her outfit isn’t too casual. She texts Percy quickly about where she’s going, then leaves her apartment for her date, humming softly as she walks.

  
As it turns out, the cozy sandwich shop isn’t actually that far from Annabeth’s place. It’s close enough that she arrives before Piper, so she decides to get a table for them.

  
Unfortunately, it’s a Saturday, but it’s late enough in the afternoon that there are still a few tables open. Annabeth manages to get one by the door, and she busies herself by looking at the menu as she waits for Piper.

  
It can’t be more than a minute or two later when Annabeth looks up and sees Piper standing in the doorway. Annabeth can’t catch her breath for a moment.

  
She’s beautiful. Annabeth is struck by the sudden realization that she’s never actually seen Piper in anything other than her uniform, and she’s glad to know that Piper looks even better in regular clothes than the tan outfit.

  
She’s got a darkly colored floral dress on, light and summery despite the chilly temperatures outside. She’s parried it with tights and boots, both black. Her hair falls in twin braids past her shoulders and across her chest, and she has slightly more makeup on than usual.  
Annabeth doesn’t realize she’s started smiling until Piper spots her and begins wearing a matching expression on her face. Annabeth holds up her hand in a wave as Piper makes her way over to the table.

  
Annabeth is suddenly aware that she hasn’t actually ever been on a date with a girl. She’s had crushes on girls, sure, but has only ever gone on dates with guys. She doesn’t know what date etiquette is like when on a date with another girl, or if it’s even any different. Suddenly, her stomach twists in a knot as Annabeth wonders if she should get up and pull out Piper's chair for her.

  
She doesn’t actually get the chance to decide as Piper drapes her jacket (since when did she get a jacket?) over her chair. “Hey, you,” she says breezily as she sits, mirroring her words from when she first saw Annabeth earlier in the day. For some reason, the thought makes Annabeth smile wider.

  
“Hello to you, too,” Annabeth replies, “How was the rest of your shift?”

  
Piper makes a face. “Ugh, don’t get me started. You wouldn’t believe the number of people who don’t know what something’s called even though it’s written on the board right behind them.” Piper huffs, and it makes Annabeth giggle a bit. Piper smiles, as if she’s proud of her ability to make Annabeth laugh. “Anyway, I don’t want to talk about work. It’ll ruin the date.”

  
Just as Annabeth is about to reply, a waiter comes to their table. “Can I start you ladies off with something to drink?” He asks, and Annabeth can’t help but notice the similarities between his and Piper’s server voices. She and Piper both order waters and, when he asks if they’re ready to order, their sandwiches. He smiles at them once, quickly, and leaves.

  
“Where were we?” Piper asks, and they pick up their conversation once again.

  
Annabeth is almost surprised by the ease at which they can hold a conversation. It shouldn't be surprising, really, seeing as they see and talk to each other almost everyday. She supposes that she was worried that they wouldn’t be able to hold a conversation for longer than five minutes, and she’s glad to be proven wrong.

  
They bounce easily from topic to topic, things like college (Annabeth graduated the year before; Piper’s finishing her last year online), family (Piper’s dad is apparently a big movie star), and Annabeth’s writing (She decides it’s time to tell Piper that she is a published author. Piper seems surprised, but in a good way).

  
Eventually, their food arrives. Piper has ordered some sort of super complex sandwich that Annabeth would never have wanted to try, and Annabeth’s gotten a revamped BLT. Their conversation dies down a bit while they eat, and the limited conversation they do share is mostly about the food.

  
They finish their meal, and the check arrives. Annabeth pauses. She’s not sure who’s supposed to pay the check. She stares at it a moment before reaching for it, scanning the total as she gets out her wallet.

  
“Wait, I can pay,” Piper protests, trying to snatch the check out of Annabeth’s hands. Annabeth chuckles at her attempt, but gets out her credit card anyway.

  
“I’ll take this one,” Annabeth says, and she doesn’t let Piper complain as their waiter comes back to pick up the bill.

  
They end up staying at the restaurant another half hour after paying, and Annabeth enjoys every second of it. Eventually, they decide they should probably leave, so they do.

  
Seeing as Annabeth’s place is so close, Piper insists on walking her home. Annabeth doesn’t complain. She really doesn’t want their date to end anyway.

  
The walk back is just as nice as being in the restaurant. They share the same casual conversation, and it’s so nice that Annabeth is more than a little disappointed when they arrive back at her apartment.

  
Piper walks Annabeth to her door, and they pause, neither girl wanting Annabeth to go inside.

  
“I had a nice time today,” Piper says simply, leaning against the wall to the left of Annabeth's door. It’s a simple gesture, and it almost feel strange seeing Piper carrying it out.

  
Annabeth smiles. “I did too. We should do it again,” Annabeth adds, making sure she conveys in her voice that she really does.

  
Piper’s lazy smile breaks into a grin. “I was hoping you’d say that,” she replies, pushing off the wall. “I’ll call you?"

  
“Definitely,” Annabeth answers immediately. She doesn’t know what’s supposed to happen next. Does she just say goodbye and go inside?

  
Luckily for her, Piper seems to know exactly what to do. She’s not that much shorter than Annabeth, so that makes it easier for her to begin to lean in closer into Annabeth. Her heart speeds up, and she closes the distance between their lips.

  
Piper’s lips are so soft. The kiss is just barely there, but Annabeth can still tell how soft her lips are. Annabeth brings a hand up to Piper’s cheek, and Piper’s wrap around Annabeth’s neck.  
Piper pulls away much sooner than Annabeth had hoped she would. There’s a smile on her face, and Annabeth’s sure she’s got the matching one on hers.

  
“So, I’ll see you soon,” Piper says quietly, starting to walk back towards the elevator.

  
“See you then,” Annabeth whispers back.

  
The go on another date, and another, and another and another until Annabeth genuinely loses track of how many they’ve been on. She introduces Piper to Percy, and they immediately get along.

  
Annabeth loves being Piper’s girlfriend.  
It’s a few months after their first date, and Annabeth and Piper are lounging lazily on Annabeth’s couch. Percy is out for the day, so Annabeth had invited Piper over. Currently, Piper is laying next to Annabeth, her head on Annabeth’s chest. There’s some television show on, but Annabeth’s not really paying attention. Instead, she’s running her hands through Piper’s hair, admiring how smooth it is.

  
Suddenly, Piper lifts her head, facing Annabeth. “What were you writing before we started dating?” She asks simply, her facial expression giving away that she just thought of the question. Annabeth freezes.

  
She doesn’t get the chance to answer, however, as Piper starts talking again. “I mean, I obviously know about your published story, and I know about the one you’re working on now. But you said it was a ‘personal project,’ or whatever.” She pauses, adjusting herself so that she’s closer to Annabeth. “So, what was it?”

  
“Well, you see,” Annabeth begins, taking a short breath. She can feel a blush creeping onto her cheeks. “When I met you, I kinda had a pretty big crush on you.” Piper seems pleased, but she doesn’t interrupt. “And when I have a crush on someone, I tend to write. About them.” She takes another breath, feeling like it’s the only thing she can do. She thinks it might be.

  
Piper just smiles. “So, I was in a book written by the girl who has a massive crush on me,” Piper summarizes, her grin turning into a smirk. “I think I kind of like that.”

  
Annabeth feels relieved. She doesn't know why she was worried, why she held off telling Piper for so long, but she’s glad she told her. Especially now, as Piper leans in, pressing her lips to Annabeth's.

  
It’s a short kiss, but it’s so sweet, Annabeth can't help but smile into it. She adjusts so that Piper’s closer to her, but the kiss stays light.

  
Piper pulls away slightly, her face not even an inch away from Annabeth’s. “You’re such a sap,” she says with a sigh, “You know that, right?”

  
“Yeah,” Annabeth whispers, her eyes fluttering open. “I know.”

**Author's Note:**

> come check me out on Instagram @ not_pumpkin_jackson (usually not_percy_jackson)


End file.
